


In Your Heart, and Mine

by ProPinkist



Category: Tales of Hearts
Genre: Chalcedony and his little family is precious, Family, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, and the volcano scene made me cry ugh, spoilers for the whole game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-29
Updated: 2016-07-29
Packaged: 2018-07-27 10:01:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7613758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProPinkist/pseuds/ProPinkist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every day without them is hard. A talk with one of his youngest friends reminds Chalcedony that he's not alone, though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Your Heart, and Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Tales of Hearts wasn't spectacularly unique for a Tales game, but the one thing that did move me was the relationship between Chalcedony, Peridot, and Pyrox. Just... ugh, my poor broken heart. :'( So sweet, and so sad. The game actually has a side quest in it that was basically my original idea for this fic lol, but I came up with a different version of it. Kinda wish that it didn't focus more on Peridot's side instead of Peridot and Pyrox equally, but maybe I'll do something more for him later.
> 
> Please forgive me for butchering Chalcedony's formal speech if I did, and for using "Shing" and no other original names, just because I don't actually know any of the others. I just know that I can't stand "Kor" lol.

It was supposed to get better over time; that’s what everyone always said about these things. But for him, it only got harder.

It was simple for Chalcedony to keep his mind occupied after it had first happened. He had to save their world from the xeroms and the despir, from Gardenia and the Spiria-sucking havoc it wreaked, from Creed Graphite. In the same way that Kunzite shrugged off minimal loss of life for the sake of the greater good, he, too, had nearly the same nonchalance towards it in the aftermath. At least, that was how he forced himself to be.

But it was only temporary. Deep down, he secretly sometimes envied Kunzite for his inability to experience loss the way humans do: as simply a loss, a great, gaping hole inside of you that can never be completely filled again no matter how much you try to fill it (to say that Kunzite didn’t feel this eventually was a lie, though: he cared deeply about Lithia, even if he didn’t truly understand that he did. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have done what he did for her at the end). It was selfish, but he couldn’t help it. Chalcedony didn’t have time to have regrets while he and the others were busy playing hero, and in the weeks after, he was occupied with helping with the aftermath, assisting his one and only love, Her Highness Empress Paraiba, with her efforts, and being the support she needed to do her duty. But once things had begun to settle down, he was forced to think about it, forced to face the pained feeling inside his chest that never went away, that remained there eternally.

His meals were now made by the other Crystal Knights or the cooks in the castle, and they no longer had the same amount of homeliness he was used to; didn’t have that particular flavor in them that was catered specifically to him, a touch that only someone who knew him so intimately could add. When Chalcedony rose in the morning and retired at night, there was no one there to help him anymore. Others had said they would take over the duty, of course, but he had insisted that he would learn how to dress and undress, and how to straighten his hair himself (he had had practice on their journey, after all). He couldn’t cook for himself, no matter how hard he tried, so this was all he could do.

Cooking and taking care of oneself were two things, though, but other things couldn’t be replaced. Loud but well-meaning nagging, firm but kind words of advice and guidance, and affectionate hugs… those things were missing now, and would never come back (Shing and everyone were wonderful, but they were still not the same; never the same).

The church felt lonely now, despite how many people were in it every day.

Chalcedony didn’t like it. He wished the part of his Spiria that made him sad could be taken away, like Kohaku’s had been at one point… that way he could stop hurting in this uncomfortable, cold way. He wouldn’t forget them, absolutely not… but just the sadness would go away.

_This isn’t like me… I mustn’t think this way._

But it was hard, ever so hard, to not think that way. Without the support of his new friends, Empress Paraiba, and others, Chalcedony didn’t think he could have managed on his own.

It was easy to say things like “their Spiria will always be with me” back then, and it was still a nice sentiment. But even if that was true, it didn’t change the fact that they would never exist in this world ever again, as they had before. He could never talk to them again, never hold them again… never see them again.

That’s what being dead meant.

Chalcedony made his way towards Prinseur, and to the orphanage in it, as he had many times by now. It had been two years since Organica had been saved from destruction, and balance restored to the nation. Everything was peaceful now, more peaceful than he ever could have imagined before. If it weren’t for all the lives that had been lost in the short-lived but yet still devastating war, and due to Creed’s scheming, he could have felt completely satisfied.

He came here often, as he had promised. Not as much as Peridot had, since Straga was fairly distanced from Prinseur, and because he was much more busy than she had ever been, but it was still quite a bit. Chalcedony had felt uncomfortable at first: he knew he wasn’t as fun and casual as his subordinate had been, and he worried he wouldn’t be able to live up to the children’s expectations. ...But perhaps spending time around that gang of goofballs during that wild adventure had taught him how to loosen up somewhat, because slowly but surely, he began to feel at home there. The children were wild, energetic, and mischievous, as most kids were, but somehow they didn’t seem to really mind Chalcedony’s formal and calm self, even though he was the complete opposite of them. …Maybe the nuns had told them he was a friend of Peridot’s, or maybe Ward had. Either way, he was grateful they were so welcoming of him. Playing with the kids at the orphanage was the only time that Chalcedony truly felt his lingering sadness melt away… it seemed contradictory, but it was true. He was able to let his inner child out, even if just a bit (Shing was right, after all; they were the same age, despite how much more mature he himself tried to remain at all times), and he enjoyed having his little friends chase him around the yard as he flew away from them. They loved watching him fly, and many of them often asked him to give them rides. Chalcedony obliged every time.

They reminded him of Peridot. It made him smile to think about.

The only time there his spirits would ever dampen was when they would ask yet again when she would come back. Chalcedony would put on a reassuring grin, and tell them that Peridot was very busy, much more than she had ever been before, but that she told him to tell them that she missed them always, and that she would try to return as soon as possible. Every time he did this, they looked more and more disappointed by his constant same explanation, and he dreaded the day when it would no longer be an answer they would accept. They may have been young, but even they had to see through his story after a certain number of times. After all, Peridot _always_ made time for them, no matter how busy she had been. The idea that she suddenly wouldn’t anymore was preposterous, and he knew they knew it. Not to mention the lingering air of sadness around the nuns now that he knew the children wouldn’t miss.

Today was to be that dreaded day.

Chalcedony entered Prinseur via the back doors, emerging in the plaza right next to the orphanage. He was about to turn right and make his way there when something caught his eye and stopped him from doing so.

One of the children he would recognize anywhere was sitting on the top of the slide in the middle of the playground. She had short, blond hair, wore a little blue dress, and was one of the ones Peridot had been fondest of. Something about the way she looked worried him, and Chalcedony made his way down and around into the playground so that he could talk to her. She noticed him immediately, and her eyes widened.

“Chal…”

“Hope,” he answered back, nodding. “What brings you outdoors, instead of with your companions?” He had let them use his nickname, and learned how to tone down his eloquent way of speaking as best he could; enough so that they could understand him, at least. It must have been quite the difference… after all, Peridot had always been the complete opposite of _eloquent._

The little girl looked down, resting her chin on her drawn-up knees. “It’s nothing… I just wanted to be alone… Ward got mad that I wouldn’t talk to him.”

“Are you feeling worse today?” he asked, concerned. “I would like to help you, if I am able.”

“No, it’s not that…”

Frowning at her gloomy countenance, Chalcedony lifted off the ground a bit so he could reach the top of the slide. Before Hope could say anything, he took her in his arms, and he was glad to see a small smile on her face at the gesture. He carried her the short distance to one of the benches at the edge of the playground, and after he had gotten her seated, he sat down himself next to her.

“You do not have to tell me anything if you do not wish to,” he said quietly, putting his gloved hand on top of her little one. “I can simply stay with you, if that would help.”

Hope managed another weak smile. “…Okay.”

They remained silent for a while, the only sound being the soft rustle of leaves from the spring breeze, and eventually that of Hope’s quiet coughs. Chalcedony’s throat constricted from this, and he rubbed her small back worriedly, trying to soothe her. She had always been frail, although he didn’t know what exactly her illness was. As long as she took her medicine, she could live and play as anyone could most days, but she tired quickly from excitement, and on rare occasions she was bedridden. He knew how much it worried everyone, including him, and he always stayed by her side during these days. Pyrox had always done the same for him when he had been ill, after all; each and every time, without fail.

“I-I took my medicine, even though it’s gross,” Hope said hoarsely once her coughing had subsided, answering the question before he could even ask it.

“…Good,” was all he knew to say back, his face downcast.

After a bit more silence, him watching her to make sure she had truly recovered, Hope finally spoke up again, her voice so quiet Chalcedony wouldn’t have been able to hear her if they were anywhere else.

“…Chal… Peridot’s not coming back, is she?”

He closed his eyes, the inevitable finally upon him.

“…Well…”

Chalcedony sighed, and turned towards Hope, and she instinctively did the same. He put his hands gently on her tiny shoulders, looking into her eyes with the same resolve he had had with Ward that day. She was still so young, younger than he would have liked, but it would be wrong to lie to her after she had asked him so sincerely, had gotten this far.

Taking a deep breath, he spoke.

“…I’m afraid she is not… I’m sorry.”

Hope had looked like she had been expecting his answer, but after he gave it, her eyes widened with shock. She slowly broke his gaze, glancing down numbly, and it wasn’t long before little beads of tears appeared in her eyes.

“…I knew it…” she whispered, clenching her dress in her fists. “I didn’t know what, or why… but I knew something was wrong… the nuns and Ward always looked so sad when we asked you… I-I…”

“I told your friend Ward first, back then,” Chalcedony interrupted, struggling to keep his voice even. When Ward had cried, he hadn’t flinched, perhaps because the wound was still so fresh and he still hadn’t completely wrapped his head around the fact that it had happened. …But now, the sight of the little girl who had been Peridot’s surrogate sister on the verge of crying, he could barely keep himself together.

“I thought he knew…” Hope said weakly, drawing her knees up. “I… I didn’t want to think that Peridot didn’t want to see us again… I was scared that we had made her mad… she never missed each of our birthdays, not a single one! …B-But I would have been okay with that now, instead of… instead of…!”

She started to cry for real, her sobs wracking her small frame, and Chalcedony watched her, devastated. After hesitating for a moment, he awkwardly drew the little girl into his arms, hugging her tightly.

“P-Peridot’s not coming back… ever… I know c-cause… it’s the same thing that’ll happen to me if I don’t take my medicine enough… or maybe even with it.”

At this, his heart almost dropped out of his chest, and he was finally moved to speak.

“Do _not_ say such things, do you hear me?” he reprimanded, squeezing her tighter. “Nothing like that will ever happen; you have no reason to fear. …I will not permit it. As for Peridot…”

Tears of his own were falling now, as much as Chalcedony had tried to hold them back. This was the first time he had ever cried over their deaths… the first time he had ever allowed himself to. It felt strange, but also good… a relief.

“Our great adventure I have told you all about many a time; she assisted us during it. She… and my other comrade… were very brave, and very strong. They saved us… saved you.”

“…D-Did Peridot kick some butt?” Hope whimpered in response, and Chalcedony cracked a smile at her crude wording.

“…Yes, she did indeed… kick lots of butt.”

He closed his eyes, stroking her hair gently. He hadn’t told Ward anything but the cold, hard truth, but he knew that Hope needed a different approach… one that would help her to be strong, one that would, well, give her hope.

“Our sister loved us all very much, and was a better person than we could ever wish for,” he began quietly. “…She lives in our Spirias now; yours, and mine, and your companions’, and everyone. When you miss Peridot, focus on that warm light you can feel inside of you… That is her.”

Hope pulled back slowly, and her eyes widened as she unconsciously moved her hand over her chest.

“…R-Really?” she asked, her voice awed. “She’s there?”

“Always.”

A soft glow surrounded her and himself, and a beam of light shone between the two of them. Chalcedony smiled as he looked at it, and watched Hope’s amazed stare with pleasure. Somatic bonds were beautiful things; they were real, visible proof of the connection between people, and the fact that he had managed to form one with one of Peridot’s siblings warmed his Spiria with happiness.

“Chal… what is this?”

“This light is proof of our friendship… and it is Peridot. She’s seeking you from me.”

He hugged her again, basking in the sensation from his Spiria and hers. Her light was soft and gentle-feeling, but somehow still strong and fiery at the same time. Just like Peridot.

“It’s hard, I know… I miss her greatly every day, Hope.” He inhaled shakily, trying to keep his voice strong for her. “…We shall never forget her, and what she did for all of us. But she will still remain with us, just in a different way… and I shall be with you always, just like I have been, in her stead.” Chalcedony reached up and wiped his lingering tears, feeling content. He decided that perhaps he would tell the others soon. Even if they didn’t understand, it had been so long now… they deserved to not be led on anymore.

“…Promise?”

“…Yes, I promise.”

After he let go of her once again, Hope wiped her eyes, and scooted closer to him on the bench. She laid her head down on his lap, much to Chalcedony’s surprise and slight embarrassment.

“Chal… you’re nice… ‘lil serious, but still nice…” Hope murmured, her voice sleepy. “I know you were a great brother to Peridot… thanks for staying with us now.”

Chalcedony looked down at the little girl sleeping on him, her face now peaceful, and he smiled gently as his eyes misted up again.

“…Thank _you_ , little one…” he whispered, petting her head gently. “I am the luckiest person alive, to have had so many incredible brothers and sisters, all throughout my life.”

_They are my world now. Thank you for them; I hope that I can be as good to them as you were to me._

He would be alright.


End file.
